Names on the buses
718 Jeffery Farnol
Connections with Brighton and Hove : A century ago, Jeffery Farnol was the best selling author in the English speaking world. But his reputation declined quickly after his death. Born in 1882 at Birmingham, he married young and his first novel appeared in 1907. This was followed by a flurry of work which swiftly proved popular with the public. He wrote 46 novels in all, mostly featuring impeccable heroes, beautiful heroines and dastardly villains. Farnol, known as Jack to his friends, served as a correspondent during the First World War. He could not fight because of his poor vision. Later he settled for a time at Patcham in Brighton. His wife Blanche, whom he divorced in 1938, is buried there. With his second wife, Phyllis, he moved into a Victorian house called Little Dene at Denton Road in the Meads, Eastbourne. They had a daughter, Jane. The Downs and local villages such as Firle and Jevington featured in many of his later works. Farnol, who died in 1952, was cremated in Brighton and his ashes were scattered at the Long Man of Wilmington. A stone seat was placed near there in his memory and he has an appreciation society.
